This invention relates in general to signs, and relates in particular to directory signs having one or more sign plates supported on a mounting structure.
It is known in the prior art to provide signs assembled from one or more individual sign plates supported by mounting clips. This sign construction is particularly useful for directory signs, as the construction permits removing and replacing an individual sign plate without disturbing other sign plates assembled to provide an overall directory sign. The mounting clips may be attached to a backing member which, in turn, is mounted on a wall or another surface for supporting the sign, although the mounting clips alternatively may be attached directly to the wall or supporting surface.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,310,135; 4,318,528; and 4,523,402 show examples of sign construction in which a sign plate is supported by a mounting clip. However, some disadvantages have been found with signs constructed according to those prior-art teachings. For example, one sign construction requires a mounting clip configured to accommodate a sign plate only of a predetermined width i.e., the dimension transverse to the longitudinal extent of the sign plate. Sign plates having a width greater or lesser than that of a particular sign plate-mounting clip construction thus are not readily interchangeable within a particular directory sign, unless that sign also incorporates multiple mounting clips to accommodate sign plates of different widths. Another prior-art sign does provide mounting clips to accommodate plural sign plates having diverse widths, but requires that the sign plates at the top and the bottom of an assembled directory sign have edges of unequal depth, with the longer edge extending rearwardly to conceal the otherwise-exposed ends of the mounting clips. This arrangement requires manufacturing and stocking two kinds of sign plates for each width, namely, end sign plates having edges of unequal depth and intermediate plates having equal-depth edges for attachment to the mounting clips intermediate the upper-end and lower-end sign plates.
The sign constructions of the prior art also require mounting or supporting the mounting clips with so-called side trims, typically extrusions or other structures designed to cover the exposed ends of the sign plates, for cosmetic purposes and also to inhibit tampering with the assembled signs. This requirement for separate side trims further increases the costs of manufacturing the sign elements, and requires maintaining an inventory of side trims suitable for assembling complete signs.
Stated in general terms, a sign according to the present invention has one or more sign plates supported by mounting clips configured to receive sign plates at predetermined modular locations along the length of each mounting clip. Each mounting clip may support several sign plates of the same modular width or height, or may support sign plates of mixed width correlated with the attaching elements of the mounting clips. The mounting clips in one preferred embodiment include an integral end member that covers and conceals the end of each sign plate attached to the mounting clip, thereby providing a sign of finished appearance without requiring any frame or closure elements other than the sign plates and mounting clips.
Stated somewhat more particularly, each mounting clip according to the present invention has a plurality of elements for removably attaching sign plates to the mounting clip. A pair of mounting flanges extends back from the sides of the mounting plates, and those flanges engage complementary prongs of a mounting clip. Those prongs are formed as part of plural plate-engaging elements of the mounting clip, with each such element in the preferred embodiment having a pair of prongs. However, the spacing between the adjacent fingers of a plate engaging element is substantially less than the distance between the flanges of a sign plate, so that one or more plates of engaging elements fits between the flanges. The spacing between adjacent plate engaging elements is a modular submultiple of the spacing between confronting flanges of a sign plate, so that one flange engages a prong on one side of a plate engaging element and the other flange of that sign plate will engage a prong on the opposite side of a different plate engaging element on the mounting clip. At least one, and usually several, disused plate engaging elements thus typically are interposed between the plate engaging flanges of a particular sign plate. Those disused plate engaging elements allow repositioning the sign plate by the pitch or spacing between adjacent elements, a distance that is a fraction of the spacing between the flanges of the sign plate.
The present invention also includes a modified mounting clip received in end plates at the ends of the sign. These end plates include a trim element that fits over and closes the ends of sign plates supported by the modified mounting clips, so that the mounting clips need not include a unitary closure for covering the ends of the sign plates.
The mounting clips of the present invention can accommodate sign plates of various design and width, including plates with a flat surface as well as plates defining a slot for inserting message strips. The modular nature of the mounting clips can accommodate sign plates of different lengths and elevations, so that a sign plate of relatively great width for displaying graphics may be combined with a sign including relatively narrow sign plates bearing other kinds of information. Further yet, the mounting clips can support other kinds of message elements such as a holder for temporarily displaying papers notes or messages. An embodiment of such a message holder is disclosed.